Neighborhood Highlights
Catalina State Park
Canyons and streams wind through 5,500 acres of pristine Arizona desert. Take a guided hiking tour to learn about the wildlife, or blaze your own trail through the cactus and mesquite.
Oro Valley Aquatic Center
Cool off on the waterslides, make laps in the pool, or drop by for the free monthly concert series. The center also hosts synchronized swimming championships once a year.
The National Parks Store
Shop authentic Mexican and Native American crafts on the outskirts of Tucson. Proceeds support 70+ national parks, so every purchase shows love for local cultures and nature, too.
History of Oro Valley
Native American Hohokam and Apache tribes were the first to occupy the Oro Valley. They clashed with conquistadors (including Francisco Coronado) when the Spanish arrived in the 16th century. Fighting continued through the 1800s, when the U.S. Army sought to make way for Tucson settlers moving north.
Though the valley was named for the short-lived gold rush that followed, cattle ranchers drove the area’s development for the next hundred years. The most notable of these, George Pusch, established the 16-acre Steam Pump Ranch, a historic site that still offers a look into the pioneering past.
The city resisted Tucson’s efforts to annex it in the 1960s and was officially incorporated in 1974. By the year 2000, the population had grown 450%, making it the outdoor playground families flock to today.
